furnace/papers/zsm-format.md

ZSM format specification

Zsound Repo

ZSM is part of the Zsound suite of Commander X16 audio tools found at:
https://github.com/ZeroByteOrg/zsound/

Current ZSM Revision: 1

ZSM is a standard specifying both a data stream format and a file structure for containing the data stream. This document provides the standard for both the ZSM stream format and for the ZSM container file format.

Whenever it becomes necessary to modify the ZSM standard in such a way that existing software will not be compatible with files using the newer standard, this version number will be incremented, up to a maximum value of 254.

Version 255 (-1) is reserved for internal use by the player

Headerless Data File Format:

Since Kernal version r39, it is possible to load data files that do not have the CBM 2-byte load-to-address header. As of version r41, this functionality is equally accessible in the standard interactive BASIC interface. As the "PRG" header is no longer necessary, ZSM files will NOT contain this header in order to appear as any other common data file such as .wav, .png, etc. As such, users and programs must use the "headerless mode" when loading a ZSM into memory on the Commander X16. The previously-suggested dummy PRG header has been incorporated to the ZSM header as a magic header for file identity verification purposes.

ZSM file composition

Offset	Length	Field
0x00	16	ZSM HEADER
0x10	variable	ZSM STREAM
?	?	(optional) PCM HEADER
?	variable	(optional) PCM DATA

ZSM Header

The ZSM header is 16 bytes long.

• All multi-byte values are little endian unless specified otherwise
• All offsets are relative to the beginning of the ZSM header

Offset	Length	Field	Description
0x00	2	Magic Header	The string 'zm' (binary 0x7a 0x6d)
0x02	1	Version	ZSM Version. 0-0xFE (0xFF is reserved)
0x03	3	Loop Point	Offset to the starting point of song loop. 0 = no loop.
0x06	3	PCM offset	Offset to the beginning of the PCM index table (if present). 0 = no PCM header or data is present.
0x09	1	FM channel mask	Bit 0-7 are set if the corresponding OPM channel is used by the music.
0x0a	2	PSG channel mask	Bits 0-15 are set if the corresponding PSG channel is used by the music.
0x0c	2	Tick Rate	The rate (in Hz) for song delay ticks. 60Hz (one tick per frame) is recommended.
0x0e	2	reserved	Reserved for future use. Set to zero.

ZSM Music Data Stream Format

Byte 0	Byte 1 (variable)	Byte n	Byte n+1 (variable)	...	End of stream
CMD	DATA	CMD	DATA	...	0x80

CMD (command) byte values

CMD bytes are bit-packed to hold a command Type ID and a value (n) as follows:

CMD	Bit Pattern	Type	Arg. Bytes	Action
0x00-0x3F	00nnnnnn	PSG write	1	Write the following byte into PSG register offset n. (from 0x1F9C0 in VRAM)
0x40	01000000	EXTCMD	1+?	The following byte is an extension command. (see below for EXTCMD syntax)
0x41-0x7F	01nnnnnn	FM write	2n	Write the following n reg/val pairs into the YM2151.
0x80	10000000	EOF	0	This byte MUST be present at the end of the data stream. Player may loop or halt as necessary.
0x81-0xFF	1nnnnnnn	Delay	0	Delay n ticks.

EXTCMD:

The EXTCMD byte is formatted as ccnnnnnn where c=channel and n=number of bytes that follow. If the player wishes to ignore a channel, it can simply advance n bytes and continue processing. See EXTCMD Channel Specifications below for more details.

PCM Header

The size and contents of the PCM header table is not yet decided. This will depend largely on the strucure of EXTCMD channel 0, and be covered in detail in that specification.

Any offset values contained in the PCM data header block will be relative to the beginning of the PCM header, not the ZSM header. The intention is to present the digital audio portion as a set of digi clips ("samples" in tracker terminology) whose playback can be triggered by EXTCMD channel zero.

PCM Sample Data

This will be a blob of PCM data with no internal formatting. Indeces / format information / loop points / etc regarding this blob will be provided via the PCM header. The end of this blob will be the end of the ZSM file.

EXTCMD Channel Scifications

Extension commands provide optional functionality within a ZSM music file. EXTCMD may be ignored by any player. EXTCMD defines 4 "channels" of message streams. Players may implement support for any, all, or none of the channels as desired. An EXTCMD may specify up to 63 bytes of data. If more data than this is required, then it must be broken up into multiple EXTCMDs.

EXTCMD in ZSM stream context:

...	CMD 0x40	EXTCMD	N bytes	CMD	...

EXTCMD byte format:

Bit Pattern	C	N
ccnnnnnn	Extension Channel ID	Number of bytes that follow

EXTCMD Channels:

0. PCM instrument channel
1. Expansion Sound Devices
2. Synchronization events
3. Custom

The formatting of the data within these 4 channels is presently a work in progress. Definitions for channels 0-3 will be part of the official ZSM specifications and implemented in the Zsound library. Significant changes within one of these three channels' structure may result in a new ZSM version number being issued. The formatting and content of the 3 official EXTCMD channels will be covered here.

The Custom channel data may take whatever format is desired for any particular purpose with the understanding that the general ecosystem of ZSM-aware applications will most likely ignore them.

EXTCMD Channel:

0: PCM audio

The structure of data within this channel is not yet defined.

1: Expansion Sound Devices

This channel is for data intended for "well-known" expansion hardware used with the Commander X16. As the community adopts various expansion hardware, such devices will be given a standard "ID" number so that all ZSM files will agree on which device is being referenced by expansion HW data.

The specification of new chip IDs should not affect the format of ZSM itself, and thus will not result in a ZSM version update. Players will simply need to update their list of known hardware.

Players implementing this channel should implement detection routines during init to determine which (if any) expansion hardware is present. Any messages intended for a chip that is not present in the system should be skipped.

An expansion HW write will contain the following data:

Chip ID	Nuber of writes (N)	N tuples of data
one byte	one byte	N * tuple_size bytes

• The total number of bytes MUST equal exactly the number of bytes specified in the preceding EXTCMD.
• The tuple_size is determined by the needs of the device, and thus will be specified per-device along with its chip ID assignment. This is likely to be 1-3 bytes for most devices.

There are currently no supported expansion HW IDs assigned.

2: Synchronization Events

The purpose of this channel is to provide for music synchronization cues that applications may use to perform operations in sync with the music (such as when the Goombas jump in New Super Mario Bros in time with the BOP! BOP! notes in the music). It is intended for the reference player to provide a sync channel callback, passing the data bytes to the callback function, and then to proceed with playback.

The data structure within this channel is not yet defined. It is our intention to work with the community in order to collaborate on a useful structure.

3: Custom

The purpose for this channel is that any project with an idea that does not fit neatly into the above categories may pack data into the project's music files in whatever form is required. It should be understood that these ZSMs will not be expected to use the extended behaviors outside of the project they were designed for. The music itself, however, should play properly. The only constraint is that the data must conform to the EXTCMD byte - supplying exactly the specified number of bytes per EXTCMD.

The reference playback library in Zsound will implement this channel as a simple callback passing the memory location and data size to the referenced function, and take no further action internally.